The Village of North Aurora is proud to continue the North Aurora Days tradition of providing a fun-filled weekend of activities and entertainment for the whole family in our great community. The sponsors, volunteers, and participants of North Aurora Days have been working hard to plan and provide a great celebration filled with fun for the entire family. This year’s festival will begin on Friday, August 7th with various events during the day. The emergency vehicle parade kicks off the Friday night festivities leading the spectators to our main stage, where they will enjoy a variety of food, beverages, and musical entertainment. Saturday, August 8th will be filled with a 5/10k race, fishing derby, Touch-a-Truck and more all ending on Sunday, August 9th with the fun filled pet parade.

It’s all about the kids! Festivities are held at Howe’s Park and feature kid friendly activities like an obstacle course, pedal tractor pull, water fights, and the Twinkie train! Evenings offer a movie, food, nightly entertainment, and fireworks – first of the season in Henry County! After the Sunday parade, have a slice of pie or buy one to take home from the annual auction.

Geneseo’s spirit sparkles downtown with Christmas magic in the air. Each storefront window has family, friends and even animals depicting various scenes. Enjoy chestnuts roasting. Make memories for young and old. Join the Jingle Bell Run and other family activities during the afternoon and enjoy the lighted Christmas parade at 5PM. Watch for Santa. Hours: 8am to 9pm.

Marion proudly presents a parade to honor all Southern Illinois veterans. Over 17 bands will march & perform (awards to be given) plus floats and over 1000 veterans from all branches of service will ride or march. Entertainment and food at Fairgrounds. The annual Veterans on Parade is being held to honor all the men and women veterans throughout Southern Illinois, who have ever served our country in both war and peacetime. For more information contact Ed Davis at 618.993.3379 or email etdvita1@mchsi.com

Homerfest! 4 Days of Family Fun! Huge Carnival. Live Bands. Family friendly beer tent and fireworks. Thursday will be the biggest show yet. Music choreographed ground and air show set to your favorite movie themes.

Civil War Re-Enactment held at the Pittsfield City Lake. Featuring a parade, military drills, soldier camps, Living History Lectures, music, period food, vendors and artisans. Step back in time to historic Pittsfield as Union and Confederate forces prepare for battle.

Picnic celebration with live music and a parade. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets to Fort Massac State Park to enjoy live music and entertainment. An all day outdoor cookout featuring hamburgers, hotdogs, and more.

Say goodbye to summer in the Pioneer City. Activities include three professional rodeo performances, free entertainment, a carnival, street fair and town-wide yard sales, parade and much more for the whole family. Weekend camping packages available on site.

4th of July Celebration events includes: Freedom Run a 5K Run/Walk and Kids Fun Run; a Gospel Show; a Parade; Free Concert at the City Park and much more. Capping off the Freedom Fest is one of the largest fireworks display in Southern Illinois.

National Rumely Oil Pull Expo in 2015! Visit the 50-acre showground and experience the fall harvest early 1900’s style. Event features the historical value of collection and exhibition of gasoline and steam tractors, power driven farm machinery and other equipment through field demonstrations, displays of gas engines, garden tractors, farm tractors and equipment. Tractor pulls, craft demonstrations, speakers, children activities and music are featured daily. Food is available and parking is free. .

Downtown Dwight is the place to be for crafts, flea markets, carnival and kids games, downtown stage full of entertainment, car show, 5K run, parade and band competition are highlights of the weekend, attracting over 10,000 people each year! Sunday's parade is led by hundreds of basset hounds and their owners from around the world.

Parade begins at 2pm from the Anna City Park entrance on Davie St. and follows Main St. to Jefferson St. and back to the park. The Anna VFW post invites everyone back to the lodge for hot dogs and chili.

One of the largest Cruise Nites in Illinois. This event brings in classic and antique autos for a full day and night of fun for the whole family. Attend the car show on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and cruise from that evening from 5-9 p.m.

Enjoy the perfect ending to the summer and visit the World’s largest outdoor pork barbeque held on the streets of Kewanee. Events include a parade, carnival, concessions, craft show, three-day flea market, live entertainment stages. Open 7 am to 10 pm. Bringing home the chops since 1941.

The Christmas lighted parade steps off at 5:30pm and will showcase Santa & Mrs. Claus through downtown Arthur. Immediately following the parade, Santa will visit with children and parents in Knights Court downtown to start collecting those early Christmas requests. Complimentary hot chocolate and cookies will be served during his visit. Throughout the day, businesses in the downtown area as well as the countryside will feature early Christmas bargains and host Open Houses.

This family friendly festival is set in the city park with plenty of carnival rides, craft vendors, flea market, foods, etc. There is also an IPRA sanctioned rodeo that takes place Friday. A demolition derby takes place on Saturday. You can also enjoy the arm wrestling. There will also be a large parade Saturday morning. Tour the historical cabins set in the park along with collections.

During the five days of fun, rides, games, shows, beer garden, parades, teen Idol, baby contest and more. You are bound to see astronauts, Martians, the Jetsons, Buzz Lightyear, Luke Skywalker and more as you orbit the festival grounds.

The Murphysboro Apple Festival is the oldest and largest, alcohol-free festival in Southern Illinois. Over 45,000 people attend the festival each year. During the five days of the Apple Festival, there are numerous activities drawing large crowds such as evening stage shows, carnival/concessions, Queen Contest, Prince and Princess Contest, contests from apple pie eating to apple core throwing, firefighters' water fights, marching band competition, car shows, Appletime 5K Walk/Run and much more. In addition, the festival's Grand Parade is one of the largest parade in Southern Illinois. The parade features an average of about 160 total units, 25 of those marching bands, and a variety of groups and organizations.

This “granddaddy” of Illinois festivals features a host of family-friendly activities with live musical entertainment, a carnival, rosemaling show, pet parade, kids’ day fun, grand parade, the state’s largest music competition, multi-ethnic food plus great shopping in our historic downtown. Geneva’s train station is located just blocks from the festivities.

“Ciao” on delicious Italian food and delight in a grand parade. There will be midway rides and games, live music, a bocce tournament, a grape stomp, a pasta cook-off, a kids pet and bike parade, a road race and an art contest.

During the Annual Scarecrow Daze Festival, the entire city of Shelbyville is decorated with scarecrows. With a different theme every year, entrants decorate their homes and businesses to the theme. There is also a large parade on Saturday, kids' games, a beer tent, music, a quilt show, and plenty of food and crafts, in downtown Shelbyville. Held in conjunction with Touchstone Energy Balloon Fest.

Come and enjoy this family-friendly festival which is in its 118th year. Entertainment comes to you in gospel, country and rock, with entertainers from as far away as Australia.. Fountain City Amusements provides a carnival atmosphere with plenty of food as well as the Ice Cream Social. There is also a 5K run/walk, a pedal tractor pull, parade, and a raffle drawing. This year for one show only is Country Legend Marty Stuart.

Come take part in a celebration of America's Highway, Route 66, at the 14th Annual International Route 66 Mother Road Festival. More than 1,000 cool cars will roll into the heart of Springfield's historic downtown this September. Enjoy music, entertainment, great food and a great time, as well as visit some of the nation's most popular automotive aftermarket vendors. It's a wonderful event for the whole family!

Kick off the holiday season and create your special memories on The Magnificent Mile in 2014! The BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, the nation’s largest evening holiday celebration, jump starts the holiday season on Saturday, November 22 with a full day of family friendly activities, concerts by top musical artists and the best holiday shopping. The day’s excitement culminates with a grand evening parade down Michigan Avenue marshaled by Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse from Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, illuminating one million lights on 200 trees. The parade concludes with a grand finale fireworks show over the Chicago River.